More than 80% of the feedback highlighted economic factors as a major barrier to good nutrition–many people said they know what foods are nutritious but just can’t afford them.
- 346 dialogues involving 10,000+ participants revealed that regularly listening to people most at risk of malnutrition, and adapting solutions to local needs is vital to improving nutrition
- Results to be presented at Nutrition for Growth Summit taking place in March 2025 to drive global commitments
One of the largest-ever investigations of people’s first-hand experiences of malnutrition in low-income settings has gathered worrying insights from more than 10,000 at-risk men, women, and children across 54 countries.
Launched today, a global summary of the Nutrition Dialogues’ feedback reveals how difficult it can be for households to ensure that women and children are well nourished in countries as widespread as Venezuela, Mali and Papua New Guinea. It includes suggestions for targeted actions to address the growing crisis that is fuelled by climate change, conflicts and the increasing cost of living. The findings will be presented at the international Nutrition for Growth summit in Paris at the end of March, which is expected to commit to more urgent and effective action.
The Nutrition Dialogues were initiated by World Vision International and the 4SD Foundation in September 2024 and have been supported by a wide variety of partners. Thousands of people – mostly those struggling to ensure nutrition for their families – participated in dialogue events that explored the barriers to good nutrition and what actions are needed.
David Nabarro, Strategic Director of 4SD Foundation, said: “The Nutrition Dialogues have offered a valuable insight into the perspectives of children and young people on the importance of good nourishment. Their voices offer guidance to us all on how best to respond. It is essential that we listen and act in their best interests.”
Three key findings that emerged from the Nutrition Dialogues highlighted how communities understand and address malnutrition. Participants can identify who in their communities is most at risk of malnutrition and when it is likely to occur. They emphasise the need for coordinated and accountable responses, encouraging collective engagement. They also call for essential services to be adapted to people’s needs and made accessible within their communities.
Participants in the dialogues included parents and caregivers, farmers, healthcare workers, teachers, indigenous people, those with disabilities and displaced people, ensuring that a broad range of voices were heard, particularly voices from those in difficult to reach communities. Women and girls, who are disproportionately impacted by malnutrition, made up 57% of participants, while 41% of those involved were children and young people.
Stark realities uncovered by the sythesised feedback include 80% of participants identifying low income as a major barrier to good nutrition, while more than 60% struggle due to limited access to clean water and healthcare services. More than half said that farming households face multiple challenges in producing adequate nutritious food such as land shortage, the escalating costs of farming inputs, and poor infrastructure for irrigation, storage and markets. Cultural norms and gender inequity were frequently reported as complicating factors, as was an insufficient awareness of nutrition and growing reliance on lower-cost, processed foods.
Dialogue participants called for:
- Fair wages and income support for at-risk households,
- Expanding school meal programmes to support childhood nutrition,
- Targeted nutritional support for vulnerable groups, e.g. pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those affected by conflict,
- Scaling up nutrition awareness,
- Regularly listening to the needs of those most at risk of malnutrition and ensuring collaboration among all actors to meet those needs.
“This feedback not only amplifies the voices of those directly experiencing nutritious food insecurity but also calls for urgent and sustained action. The people affected by malnutrition must be at the centre of designing and implementing solutions—especially women and children. To end malnutrition, we all need to take action that is as diverse and interconnected as the problem itself,” said Dan Irvine, World Vision International’s Global Director, Health, and Nutrition.
At the Nutrition for Growth Summit, hosted by the Government of France in Paris on 27-28 March, delegates from 78 countries, plus children and youth representatives, will gather to explore how best to tackle malnutrition and renew their commitments on a global scale. Now more than ever, governments, civil society, businesses and anyone with responsibility for preventing malnutrition are urged to take bold and measurable actions to end precarious nutrition and ensure universal access to healthy food.
Notes to Editors
- The Nutrition Dialogues launched in August 2024 and by December 31, 2004, more than 10,000 people, many at risk of malnutrition and food insecurity, in 54 countries had participated in 346 dialogues. Some were Children’s Workshops (for 12-18-year-olds) and some Stakeholder Dialogues (for adults), 80% of dialogues took place locally, within communities or at district level, 57% of participants were women and girls. Feedback was gathered from each dialogue and uploaded to nutritiondialogues.org, insights covered nutrition challenges people face and actions they propose for improving nutritious food security and reducing malnutrition.
- Additional quotes from mobilising partner organisations:
- “From farmers to healthcare workers to children, 10,000 voices urgently demand action against malnutrition and its root causes. We need fair wages for farmers, nutritional support for vulnerable groups, and expanded school meals for children—malnutrition is a solvable crisis. All it takes is political will. At the Paris N4G Summit, politicians must commit to ambitious actions that save lives, build resilience, and secure our future.” Paul Newnham, CEO of SDG2 Advocacy Hub.
